 March 4, 2005
Contents of this issue:
n National Problem Gambling Awareness Week – March 6 - 12 n 2005 Edition of Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents n Design Team Chosen For New Orlando Va Hospital n Advisory Committee on Women Veterans n Rep. Bilirakis Awarded by Veterans n Scam Targeting Families Of Those Killed In Iraq n Medal of Honor Day, March 25 n Legislation of Interest n Florida World War II Memorial! n News You Can Use o
Guard and Reserve Personnel Activated During Wartime May Be o State Veterans' Nursing Home Virtual Tour o Volunteers of America’s Florida Veterans Mobile Service Center o Request Florida Veterans’ Benefits Guide o Military Service Automobile License Plates n VA News You Can Use o Concurrent Receipt o Use of VA’s Electronic Health Records Expanding o Facts About the Department of Veterans Affairs o More…. n State Legislation of Interest to Veterans n Federal Legislation of Interest to Veterans n Register for efloridavetsNews
National Problem Gambling Awareness Week – March 6 - 12
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc. (FCCG) was established in 1988 as a 501(c)(3) corporation. The Council is an educational and advocacy organization working under contract with State government, providing statewide confidential supports via its 24-hour Problem Gambling HelpLine (888-ADMIT-IT), and public awareness, education, prevention, training and resource development services. The Council is gaming neutral, taking no position either for or against legalized gambling.
While most seniors gamble without difficulty, a growing
percentage of Florida's older adults and retired community are developing serious
gambling problems. And they are doing so at a time in their lives when
recouping financial losses can be very difficult, if not impossible.
2005 Edition of Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents
The 2005 edition of Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents is now available on line. It is an 840 KB PDF that requires Adobe Acrobat (4.0 or later) or other PDF viewer at the following URL: http://www.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents can also be accessed through: (1) the Office of Public Affairs "Feature Items" page (http://www.va.gov/OPA/feature/) or (2) the "Current Benefits" link at the bottom of the VA Home page (http://www.va.gov/).
La versión en Español de el folleto "Beneficios Federales para los Veteranos y sus Dependientes", el cual explica la variedad de beneficios disponibles para los veteranos y sus dependientes, se encuentra disponible en versión PDF al presionar aquí. (2004 Edition)
Design Team Chosen For New Orlando Va Hospital
A joint-venture team has been selected to design the new medical center in Orlando for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The project includes a new 500,000-square-foot hospital with another 200,000 square feet of renovated space. The new 120-bed hospital will provide inpatient and outpatient services to veterans in Central Florida where there is a growing demand for primary and specialty care, and a need for acute care beds.
The VA has begun feasibility studies in Orlando, but a project timetable has not been finalized.
Advisory Committee on Women Veterans Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson has announced the appointment of six new members to the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, an expert panel that advises him on issues and programs affecting women veterans. The new committee members are Dr. Jacqueline Morgan from Seattle; Carlene Narcho from Fort Apache, AZ; Lorna Papke-Dupouy from Greenfield Center, NY; Colonel Shirley Ann Quarles from Stone Mountain, GA; Captain Emily Sanford from Huntington Beach, CA; and Chief Master Sergeant Sara Sellers from Johnson City, TN.
Rep. Bilirakis Awarded by Veterans PR Newswire, 3/2/05
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, was awarded The American Legions Distinguished Public Service Award at its 45th annual conference. The award was presented to Bilirakis in recognition of his military service during the Korean War, his distinguished public service career and his support and service to America's veterans. Bilirakis, who served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, has distinguished himself as a champion of veterans' rights and issues throughout his 12 terms as the Republican representative from Florida's 9th District.
The American Legion, the world's largest wartime veterans' service organization, is aggressively challenging the administration's budget proposal, stating that the plan is not acceptable to veterans. Of particular concern, is the call for some veterans to pay $250 for veterans' health care and doubling prescription drug co-pay. "This is wrong," asserted Bilirakis. "They have already paid by their service to their country. The price of war does not end with war," Bilirakis, a 49-year member of the Legion, told the packed audience of fellow Legionnaires. "It ends with the veteran and with their family." The American Legion's legislative rally draws politicians and government officials before more than a thousand Legionnaires on veterans' issues. This year was no exception. Other speakers included Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill.), ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Rep. Steve Buyer (D-Ind.), chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), member Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
Scam Targeting Families Of Those Killed In Iraq
(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Larry Craig, Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, has joined with the Department of Homeland Security in warning about an e-mail scam that is targeted at the families of fallen U.S. soldiers.
In the scam, the sender claims to be a volunteer working with U.S. forces and that a late friend, who also was a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq, was a very good friend of a relatives' slain son or daughter. The sender then goes on to ask for help in obtaining funds kept for them by the deceased friend, promising more details when the relative responds to the e-mail.
"This is outrageous. Anyone who commits fraud on the tender spirits and broken hearts of the families of America's heroes needs to spend a long time in a federal prison. In short, we need to send these predators to jail," said Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho). "And just like Monopoly, when they're caught, it should be 'do not pass go, do not collect $200 and do not get out of jail free.'"
Calling the new Internet fraud schemes "among the worst we have ever encountered," Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Michael J. Garcia said his agency is concerned that the criminals in these schemes are impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, which are now under the jurisdiction of Homeland Security.
To add authenticity to the e-mails, senders are adding links to ICE's actual website, the portion of which discusses Immigration and Customs operations in Iraq. "Most troubling is the fact that some are targeting the relatives of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq," Garcia said.
People who receive such e-mails should delete them. If they have responded, they should immediately call 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423). Criminals involved in such crimes could be charged with mail fraud, money laundering, wire fraud and other charges.
One month ago the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing concerning about the problems families have faced after losing a soldier and how well the nation's current benefits system is working. Disturbed at the difficulties widows have had, Craig is now examining the need for legislation to correct the military's benefit assistance program.
"Survivors of our military heroes are precious and they need our protection. If you know a survivor, please encourage them to be on guard against this latest fraud effort," Craig said.
Medal of Honor Day, March 25
COL Henry W. Ince, USAR (Ret), Florida Council of Chapters, MOAA, has been kind enough to remind us that March 25 is Medal of Honor Day. One may find more information at http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/history/day.html.
Legislation of Interest
H.R. 1047* (T. Davis, R‑Va.), to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the tragic loss of lives at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and to support construction of the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial in Arlington, Virginia; to the Committee on Financial Services.
H.R. 1057* (King, R‑N.Y.), to award a congressional gold medal on behalf of all government workers and others who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and perished and people aboard United Airlines Flight 93 who helped resist the hijackers and caused the plane to crash, to award a duplicate in silver of such gold medals to the personal representative of each such person, to require the Secretary of Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the Spirit of America, recognizing the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Financial Services.
H.R. 1059* (Meehan, D‑Mass.), to amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the readiness of the Armed Forces by replacing the current policy concerning homosexuality in the Armed Forces, referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; to the Committee on Armed Services.
Florida World War II Monument!
The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs has contracted for placement of the World War II Monument on the grounds of the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee which houses the “Florida Remembers World War II” permanent museum exhibit dedicated on Veterans’ Day 2004. Please plan to attend the dedication on the 61st Anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2005.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Guard and Reserve Personnel Activated During Wartime May Be Eligible For VA Home Loans after 90 Days of Service. VA officials report that there has been a large increase in VA home loans to National Guardsmen and Reservists in recent years. Some guard and reserve personnel may not be aware that being on active duty actually reduces the time it takes for them to become eligible for the loans. Normally, guardsmen and reservists must serve six years before becoming eligible for a VA Home Loan, but that requirement changes to only 90 days of service when they have been called to active duty during wartime. The best way to find out if one qualifies would be to submit an application for a certificate of eligibility to one of two VA Eligibility Centers. The Center in Winston-Salem, NC handles states east of the Mississippi River and the Los Angeles center handles states west of the Mississippi. Click here for more information. [http://www.homeloans.va.gov/] Source: VFW Military update
Take a virtual tour of a State Veterans' Nursing Home. The tour includes ten 360 degree fully interactive pictures. No additional software is required to view these images, simply click on the desired picture and the tour begins.
Click here for information about the Florida Veterans Mobile Service Center.
Click here for a copy of Florida Veterans’ Benefits Guide.
Your purchase of the "Florida Salutes Veterans" or one of the recently approved Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard Military Service license plates helps people who need it most, when they need it most. The entire $15 surcharge goes into a Trust Fund for the Operation and Maintenance of critically needed Veterans' Homes in Florida.
VA NEWS YOU CAN USE
For useful information on concurrent receipt, we suggest the following website: http://www.crlegislation.com/.
Ask Benefits Questions Via E-MAIL: For specific Compensation and Pension benefits questions and local regional office issues, the contact list is by state and geographical area of jurisdiction.
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents (Current Edition) - The current edition of this booklet lists the variety of federal benefits available to veterans and their dependents. Selecting the link above will allow you to download the booklet as a PDF file in English or Spanish.
La versión en Español de el folleto "Beneficios Federales para los Veteranos y sus Dependientes", el cual explica la variedad de beneficios disponibles para los veteranos y sus dependientes, se encuentra disponible en versión PDF al presionar aquí.
VA - 13 Years as a Cabinet Department - Website contains informational material regarding VA's history as a Cabinet Department
Issues and Action: Veterans Issues
(Some links require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded here)
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